Spinner type game of chance



Nov. 8, 1949 o. OLSON 2,487,363

SPINNER TYPE GAME OF CHANCE Filed Feb. 25, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet l O 0 O O 0 O 0 I 0 0 O 0 0 Q 0 )i O O O 0 O O O 0 O 0 o 92 02 QT or y; 0 o /b v /4 3 O O O O O 0 O o 0 O 0 0 0 0 O O O O O O\O 0 0o O O O O O 0 O O O O o p J I1 1 44 a 22 2 J 3mm O/fven L. Olson Nov 8, 1949 o. L. OLSON 2,487,363

' SPINNER-TYPE GAME OF CHANGE Filed Feb. 25 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 awe/whom /7 O/II/er' L. 0/500 Patented Nov. 8, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SPINNER TYPE GAME OF CHANGE Oliver L. Olson, Camas, Wash. 4

Application February 25, 1946, Serial No. 649,865 1 6 Claims.

This invention relates generally to game devices and pertains particularly to a device for playing a game of chance.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide in a game of chance device a stationary circular series of numbered pockets with means for carrying a play piece around the series and for discharging such piece into one of the pockets when the carrying means has slowed in its circular path of travel to a speed which is uncontrolled by the player.

Another object of the invention is to provide in a device of the character stated, a novel means for restraining the play piece against movement into a pocket by centrifugal force while the play piece is being carried around the series of pockets, the play piece being discharged at the point in the circular path of travel when the gravitational effect upon the play piece overcomes the centrifugal efiect by which the play piece is initially retained in position. a

Still another object of the invention is toprovide a game device comprising a circular series of pockets with a play piece carrying member supported for rotation or movement around the series of pockets and means outside the circular path of travel of the carrier for imparting a thrust to the carrier to start it on its circular movement. Still another object of the invention is'to provide a novel play piece retainer wherein an oscillatable floor or platform is employed which is heldv tilted in one position when the play piece carrier is stationary, to retain the play piece in the carrier but which is released after the play piece carrier is started on its circular path to permit the play piece to move into a position ready for discharge into one of the receiving pockets when the force of gravity overcomes centrifugal force to cause the play piece to be discharged into a pocket as previously described.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part of the specification, with the understanding, however, that the invention is not confined to a strict conformity with the showing of the drawings but may be changed or modified so long as such changes or modifications mark no material departure from the salient features of the invention as expressed in the appended'claims. 1

Inthe drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in top plan of a game apparatus constructed in accordance with the presentinvention;

2 Figure 2 is a view partly in central transverse section and partly in edge elevation of the device;

Figure 3 is a sectional View on a vertical plane taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Figure 1 through the table and the underlying portion of the board, looking in the direction of the arrows, with a portion only of the play piece box broken away to show the interior construction;

Figure 4 is a horizontal section taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Figure 3;

' Figure 5 is a vertical section taken substantially on the line 5-5 of Figure 3.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings the numeral l0 generally designates a rectangular board which forms the body or main structure of the device. This body has the top surface suitably designed to provide the top border strip H which, as shown, extends alon each side'of the board and each strip has laid out therein, longitudinally of the adjacent edge, a plurality of pin holes l2 in which may be selectively engaged the tapered point of a score keeping pin 13. Along the inner side of each score strip are :placed suitable numerals l3 to facilitate counting by the player of the number of apertures or points he is to move.

Each corner of the play area inside the border strips is provided with a player number, designated I4, and adjacent to each player number is a corner pocket !5 in which the scoring pins for each player may be kept.

In the center of the play board, which may, if desired, be supported upon suitable feet I6, is formed the circular well H, the floor or bottom of which is designated l8.

Secured upon the floor 18 at the radial center of the well is a fixed pivot post I9 which, while it may be held in position in any desirable manner, is here shown as being secured to the bottom of the board by the screws 20.

Resting upon the top of the post I9 is a circular table 2| which is secured to the post against movement, in any suitable manner as, 'for example, by the use Of screws 2'2. This table is of an overall diameter materially less than the well I'I so that there is provided the circular clearance space '23 for the purpose described.

In the top surface of the stationary circular table 2| are formed the plurality of pockets 24 each of which is suitably numbered as shown so that the score made by each player is determined by the sum of the numbers in the pockets, into which the hereinafter described play piece is discharged after a certain number of plays. This sum is totaled and kept track of upon the players score strip H by means of the score pins |3 as will be readily apparent.

The numeral generally designates a spinner which comprises a hub member 26 which is rotatably mounted upon the vertical fixed pivot post l9, and the two diametrically opposite radially directed arms 21, each of which terminates in the upstanding post 28 which projects upwardly through the circular space 23 above the top surface of the board and table, these two pieces having their top surfaces in a common plane as shown in Figures 2 and 5.

Suitable antifriction elements 29a are provided around the pivot post IQ for engagement by the spinner hub 26, so that the spinner may rotate with a minimum of friction.

Supported upon the top of one of the posts 28 to be rotated with the spinner around the table, is a play piece box which is generally designated 29. This box is of rectangular form as shown and comprises the top and bottom Walls 30 and 3| respectively, the inner and outer side walls 32 and 33 respectively, and the forward and rear end walls 34 and 35 respectively. The box is supported with its bottom wall 3| secured to the top end of a post 28 as shown in Figure 5 and is positioned to have its length extending in the direction of the circular path which the post follows when the spinner is set in operation.

Adjacent to the forward end 34 the play piece box has the piece discharge means in the form of a short tube or flue 36 which is directed inwardly substantially toward the radial center of the table and which overlies the edge of the table and the outer portions of the pockets 24 as shown in Figures 1 and 4 so that a play piece discharged therefrom will drop into one of the pockets.

At the rear or trailing end of the play piece box, the outer wall 33 is provided with an opening 31 by means of which there may be introduced into the box, the play piece 38, here shown as a ball which may be formed of metal or any other suitable material.

Within the play piece box 29 is disposed a vertically oscillatable floor 39 which is supported upon the transverse pivot pin 40 which extends across the interior of the box at the rear end and adjacent to the bottom wall 3| as shown in Figure 4. This vertically oscillatable floor is supported at its pivoted end at a suitable height to permit the opposite end to drop so that the top surface of the floor will be at a forward and downward inclination when the floor is free to move downwardly and the play piece outlet 36 is so disposed that when the free forward end of the floor is in its lowermost position, the top surface thereof will be approximately on a level with the top surface of the discharge flue 36 so that the circular play piece 38 can roll outwardly onto the station ary table.

Secured in suitable supports 4| upon the top of the board body and adjacent to the edge of the well 11, is a plunger tube 42. The supports 4| are arranged so that the long axis of the tube will be tangential to the adjacent edge of the well, as shown in Figure 1.

Extending through the tube is a plunger 43 which carries upon the end farthest from the periphery of the well, the button 44 while the opposite end of the plunger is desi ned to be projected from the tube to impart a thrust to the spinner through the medium of the play piece box, in a manner hereinafter described.

Within the tube 42 the plunger is encircled by an expansion spring 45 which by engaging the end wall of the tube at one end and the collar 46 carried upon the plunger adjacent to the other end of the tube, functions to project the plunger forward at a rapid rate, after the plunger has been drawn back to compress the spring and released.

The rear or trailing wall 35 of the box 29 has secured thereto by the vertical pivot 41, the radially outwardly extending arm 48 which is designed to be brought into position across the forward end of the plunger tube 42 as shown in Figure 4. When this arm is in the position shown and the plunger is drawn back to compress the spring and then released, the forward projection of the plunger by the spring will cause it to strike the arm 48 and set the spinner into motion to carry the box 29 rapidly around the circular path. By pivoting the arm 48 in the manner shown, the arm can swing back and trail the box so that it can pass the plunger and tube during the spinning operation.

The bottom wall 3| of the play piece box 29 is provided with the longitudinal slot 49 which extends to the rear end of this wall and through the adjacent part of the back wall 35.

Disposed within the board body directly b neath the slot 49, adjacent to the forward end of the plunger tube (l2, is an upwardly extending pin member 50 which is urged upwardly by the spring 5| and which, when the box 29 is in start= ing position, extends through the slot into the box to engage the under side of the pivoted floor 39, to raise the same to the position shown in Figure 4. Thus it will be seen that when the box 29 is in starting position with the arm 48 in place against the forward end of the tube 42, the pivoted floor will be raised at its free end and the play piece 38 will be caused by gravity to assume the position in the rear end of the box in which it is shown in Figure 4, after it is introduced through the opening 31.

After the plunger has been drawn back and released and the box has been started on its cir .cular path by the spinning of the arms 21, the pivoted floor 39 will move off of the supp rting pin 5|! and the forward end of the floor will drop so that the play Piece will roll forwardly. While the proper slope or inclination will be given to the floor 39 to cause the play piece to roll inward- 1y at the proper time for passage through the dis charge flue 35, this inward movement of the lay piece, after it has moved o the forward end of the box, will be prevented by centrifugal force which will keep the play piece at the outer side of the box but opposite the discharge flue 36. After the rotational speed of the spinner arm has less.- ened to a certain degree, the force of gravity acting upon the spherical play piece 38 will over, come the centrifugal force holding it at the outer side of the box 29 and the play piece will then roll inwardly off of the pivoted floor 39 and through the discharge flue 3:6 onto the stationary table 2|, dropping into one of the pockets :24. The play r whose turn it was to start the spinner moving will then core whatever number ppe r in the pocket into which the play piece falls.

I vclaim-z l. ,A game device, comprising a stationary cir ular table having a ircular series of pockets in the top thereof, a play piece carrying receptacle, means supporting the receptacle for movement in .a circular path around the periphery of the table, the receptacle having a pl y piece discharge opening on the side adjacent to the table, a play piece adapted to be placed in the receptacle, means for maintaining the-play piece away from the discharge means at the start of movement of the receptacle and to effect the movement of the play piece in the receptacle in a position preparatory for discharge through the discharge means onto the table when the receptacle is in motion, said last means being constructed and arranged to assist movement of the play piece through the discharge means under the action of gravity when the movement of the receptacle is reduced to the necessary degree to permit the force of gravity to overcome centrifugal force tending to move the play piece away from the center of the path of movement of the receptacle.

2. A game device of the character described, comprising a flat, circular table supported against turning movement, the table having a circular series of pockets in the top surface thereof, an

arm pivotally supported at one end beneath the center of the table and extending radially and terminating in an upstanding post extending across the periphery of the table, a play piece carrying receptacle supported upon the upper end of said post and having a play piece discharge opening directed inwardly with respect to and lying over the top of the table, said opening being at the forward end of the receptacle, means within the receptacle for effecting movement of a play piece forwardly therein to a position ready for dis-' charge through the discharge opening under the action of gravity, onto the table, when the movement of the receptacle around the table is slackened to a speed where gravitational action may overcome centrifugal force tending to move the play piece in the receptacle radially outwardly away from the discharge opening.

3. A game device designed to be played with a spherical play piece, comprising a circular table, an arm pivotall supported at the radial center of the table and extending outwardly beyond the periphery of the table and terminating in an upwardly extending post, the table having game piece receiving pockets in the top thereof and adjacent its periphery, a relatively long receptacle supported upon the end of the post with its length extending in the direction of movement of the post around the table when the arm is turned on the pivot, the receptacle having an inwardly directed opening at its forward end, a relatively long floor within the receptacle, pivot means supporting the rear end of the floor at an elevation whereby the forward end may swing downwardly below the rear end to effect the forward movement of a play piece from the rear end of the receptacle to the forward end, the forward end of the floor when in lowered position being below the bottom of said inwardly directed opening whereby the play piece may escape through the said opening, and the receptacle having an aperture adjacent to its rear end through which the piece may be introduced into the receptacle.

4. A game device of the character stated in claim 1, wherein the last named means comprises an oscillatably supported floor within the receptacle and means for maintaining the floor raised at one end when the receptacle is in the position from which it is started in its circular path of movement, the last named means comprising a member supported for movement toward and away from the underside of said floor for engagement with the floor but held against movement in the direction of movement of the receptacle, whereby pon the starting of the receptacle the floor is carried awa from said member permitting oscillation of the said one end of the floor downwardly to effect the movement of the play piece to a position ready for discharge through the discharge means.

5. A game device comprising a stationary, horizontal, circular table having a circular series of game piece receiving pockets in the top surface thereof, an arm pivotally supported at one end beneath the radial center of the table and extending radially outwardly and terminating in an upstanding post extending across the periphery of the table, a relatively long play piece receiving receptacle supported upon the arm and having its length extending in the direction of circular movement of the receptacle around the table, a play piece discharge opening upon the inner side of the receptacle at the forward end thereof, a floor Within the receptacle, a pivot supporting the floor at the end adjacent to the rear end of the receptacle, the pivot being so positioned that the floor may swing to a forwardly and downwardly inclined position, means releasably engaging the floor when the receptacle is in a starting position to maintain the forward end of the floor raised, said last mentioned means comprising a member supported for movement in one direction relative to the floor but maintained against movement in the direction of movement of the receptacle and floor whereby upon a predetermined forward movement of the receptacle disengagement of the floor from the member is effected to permit the forward end of the floor to drop below the rear end thereof whereby a round play piece may roll to said forward end for escape through the discharge opening of the receptacle.

6. In a game device of the type having a circular marked off area and a member pivotally supported for free rotation over and concentric with said area; means for imparting movement to said pivotally supported member, comprising a barrel fixed outside the circular path of movement of the member and directed tangentially to such path, a plunger reciprocably supported in the barrel to have one end projected beyond the forward end of the barrel, means for urging the plunger forwardly in the barrel, and an arm carried by said member and extending radially outwardly beyond said circular path, the arm being carried by said member and projecting beyond one side thereof, the projecting end of the arm extending across the forward end of the barrel to be struck by the plunger when the member is in one position relative to the barrel, pivot means supporting the arm for swinging movement from said outwardly extending position only in a direction away from the direction of movement of the member whereby said arm may move past the barrel in th rotary movement of the member.

OLIVER L. OLSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,846,481 Enge Feb. 23, 1932 1,925,924 Hummel Sept. 5, 1933 2,183,506 Robinson Dec. 12, 1939 

